Before I analyze Saturdays big fight between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir, let me explain why my opinion might be slightly biased.

I’ve always been a big fan of professional wrestling. I’ve followed the sports entertainment genre since I was a little child.

A few years back I was dating a girl who lived in Long Island. The cousin of Vince Mcmahon, CEO of the WWE, ran a sports collectible shop in the Long Island area. He brought wrestlers into the shop from time to time to take photos and sign autographs. I met Matt Hardy, Shane Helms, Rey Misterio, Chris Benoit, and GoDaddy.com commercial model Candace Michelle at the store.

All of the wrestlers I met were more then happy to meet the fans, sign autographs, and take pictures.

One guy wasn’t that friendly, however, and his name was Brock Lesnar.

I stood on line for two and a half hours waiting to get Brock’s autograph. I was also hoping to add a picture of Brock and I to my arsenal of photos with WWE superstars.

As I neared the front of the line, the excitement was starting to build. There was a little girl in front of me. She would get her autograph and picture and then it was my turn to meet “The Next Big Thing”.

Here is a transcription of the events that went down when that little girl reached the front of the line.

Brock Lesnar – “Hey little girl, do you want a picture with Brock Lesnar?”

Excited Little Girl – “YES!”

A photographer takes the picture

Brock Lesnar – ” Here is your autograph and your picture”

Excited Little Girl – “Thanks Brock!”

at this point in time, I advance to the front of the line

Larry – “Hey Brock… can I get a picture with you also?”

Brock – ” No… the picture was free for the little girl. You have to pay.”

The next big thing turned out to be the next big crock. I put my glossy photo on the table and he signed it. I left in disgust.

Here is the autograph I waited almost three hours for.

When Brock Lesnar entered the WWE, he was touted as “the next big thing”. At UFC 81, he will try to bring that legacy into the octagon.

The only problem with being the next big thing in the UFC is that Brock has to get through Frank Mir to live up to that hype.

I see this fight going one of two ways.

Lesnar has incredible strength and a strong wrestling background. He is probably the strongest fighter on the UFC heavyweight roster. Lesnar isn’t going to stand and trade blows with Mir. Mir isn’t really known for his striking ability anyway. Lesnar is going to look for the takedown immediately, try to secure the mount, and ground and pound Mir for the win.

The only problem with this strategy is that Mir is a world class submission fighter. If Mir comes into this match in shape, which has been a problem since his return from a career ending injury, I think he will submit Lesnar.

If Mir hasn’t worked on his cardio he will fall victim to a ground and pound beating from Lesnar. If he steps into the octagon with a good cardio regimen, he has a great chance of grabbing one of Lesnar’s limbs and forcing a submission.

I really think that Mir is going to pull off the win. Perhaps I should really say that I hope that Mir is going to pull off a win; it’s certainly within the realm of possibility.

So I might be a little bit bias, but if Lesnar gets caught in a Frank Mir arm bar on Saturday, I’ll be a happy MMA fan.

Dear Frank Mir,
Please come into this fight in shape.

Thanks,
Larry